2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Visual & Performing Arts in the Far Western US Region
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.
General Visual & Performing Arts is the 125th most popular major in the country with 6,359 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, general visual and performing arts graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $24,577 and had an average of $26,968 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Far Western US region, there were 1,374 general visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $22,671 and $26,208 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 561 general visual and performing arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,083 and $22,209 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region” ranking, we looked at 19 colleges that offer a degree in general visual and performing arts. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general visual and performing arts programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general visual and performing arts program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region.
Top 19 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Visual & Performing Arts in the Far Western US Region
Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - San Marcos landed the #1 spot on the list. California State University - San Marcos is located in San Marcos, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 93 bachelors’s visual arts degrees to qualified students.
CSUSM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for CSUSM is $13,399 for Far Western US Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual Arts students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - San Marcos General Visual & Performing Arts Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend San Jose State University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school awarded 4 degrees to qualified bachelors’s visual arts students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at San Jose State, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Jose State University is $14,928 for far western us region bachelor’s degree visual arts students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full San Jose State University General Visual & Performing Arts Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Channel Islands. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region. California State University - Channel Islands is a medium-sized school located in Camarillo, California that handed out 12 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUCI, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $13,558 for far western us region bachelor’s degree visual arts students per year to attend CSUCI.
The low student loan default rate of 2.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at California State University - Channel Islands
Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Academy of Art University landed the #4 spot on the list. Academy of Art University is located in San Francisco, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 34 bachelors’s visual arts degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our far western us region bachelor’s degree visual arts students list, Academy of Art University has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Academy of Art University is $34,145 for far western us region bachelor’s degree visual arts students.
Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at Academy of Art University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Oregon University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region. This medium-sized school is located in Ashland, Oregon, and it awarded 36 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Southern Oregon University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. It costs about $10,386 for Far Western US Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual Arts students per year to attend Southern Oregon University.
Full Southern Oregon University General Visual & Performing Arts Report
With a ranking of #6, Oregon State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region list. Corvallis, Oregon is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s visual arts degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our far western us region bachelor’s degree visual arts students list, Oregon State has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Oregon State University is $20,016 for far western us region bachelor’s degree visual arts students.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 3.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Azusa Pacific University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Azusa, California, and it awarded 65 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Azusa Pacific did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Azusa Pacific is $26,293 for far western us region bachelor’s degree visual arts students.
The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at Azusa Pacific University
Point Loma Nazarene University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region list. Point Loma Nazarene University is located in San Diego, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s visual arts degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our far western us region bachelor’s degree visual arts students list, PLNU has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Point Loma Nazarene University is $33,044 for Far Western US Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual Arts students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
William Jessup University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region ranking. William Jessup University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rocklin, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our far western us region bachelor’s degree visual arts students list, William Jessup University has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $21,207 for Far Western US Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual Arts students per year to attend William Jessup University.
Full William Jessup University General Visual & Performing Arts Report
University of California - San Diego ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region list. University of California - San Diego is a large public school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 116 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2019-2020.
UCSD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - San Diego is $14,232 for far western us region bachelor’s degree visual arts students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Woodbury University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #11. This small school is located in Burbank, California, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Woodbury also made our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for Woodbury University is $23,915 for far western us region bachelor’s degree visual arts students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at Woodbury
Seattle Pacific University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region ranking. SPU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 2 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2019-2020.
SPU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for SPU is $26,505 for Far Western US Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual Arts students.
The low student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Seattle Pacific University General Visual & Performing Arts Report
Seattle University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region ranking. Seattle U is a medium-sized school located in Seattle, Washington that handed out 3 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Seattle U also made our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Seattle U is $34,802 for far western us region bachelor’s degree visual arts students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full Seattle University General Visual & Performing Arts Report
Pacific Northwest College of Art landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region ranking. Portland, Oregon is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s visual arts degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.
Pacific Northwest College of Art also made our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for Pacific Northwest College of Art is $33,872 for far western us region bachelor’s degree visual arts students.
Read more about General Visual & Performing Arts at Pacific Northwest College of Art
Marymount California University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #15. MCU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. It awarded 3 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2019-2020.
MCU also made our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #19. It costs about $33,303 for far western us region bachelor’s degree visual arts students per year to attend MCU.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #16, Otis College of Art and Design did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s visual arts degrees to 48 students in 2019-2020.
Otis College of Art and Design did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. It costs about $43,147 for Far Western US Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual Arts students per year to attend Otis College of Art and Design.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at Otis College of Art and Design
San Francisco Art Institute came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region ranking. SFAI is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
SFAI also made our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #18. It costs about $41,392 for Far Western US Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual Arts students per year to attend San Francisco Art Institute.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on General Visual & Performing Arts at San Francisco Art Institute
University of San Francisco landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region ranking. University of San Francisco is a fairly large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 10 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2019-2020.
USFCA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. It costs about $36,424 for far western us region bachelor’s degree visual arts students per year to attend University of San Francisco.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Southern California ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Visual Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Far Western US Region list. USC is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 18 bachelors’s visual arts degrees in 2019-2020.
USC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best General Visual & Performing Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for USC is $29,528 for Far Western US Region Bachelor’s Degree Visual Arts students.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
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Notes and References
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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- Credit for the banner image above goes to Sven Mandel / CC-BY-SA-4.0.
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